Tumblrs to Know: NOVH and Gaws

We first met Noah Emrich and Liam Goslett during NYFW this year, as they were selected by Tumblr to be part of a group given all access to the season’s shows. (Emrich was also part of our "5x7: A Fashion Week Photo Journal" series on GQ.com). They were like the odd couple: Goslett in black leather, like a smiley Rick Owens offspring (he may have even worn a hood at one point), and Emrich in the menswear blogger’s go-to kit: selvedge jeans, anal-retentively tailored blazer, knit tie. Their energy was infectious, their wide-eyed enthusiasm well-documented in posts following the week’s rigorous show schedule. At the time, they were both under twenty, with creative maturity seemingly beyond their years: both take great photos, both devote endless amounts of time, and energy to their personal online spaces: to gaze for a few page loads at their Tumblrs is to stare into their lives. They’re part of that transparent generation, the one scaring folks. The one prompting endless Op-Ed pieces. So why does any of this matter? Well, not only are these two some of the youngest guys talking menswear, but they’re getting noticed: Emrich will drop a lookbook campaign with Gant Rugger tomorrow (yes, head designer Chris Bastin gave him the go-ahead), and Goslett’s a fixture on the burgeoning Toronto scene, kicking it with another street style photog you may have heard of, GQ man, Tommy Ton. So, before anyone else had a chance to ask these fellas a few questions, we thought we would.

The GQ Eye: So, let’s kick this off with some intros...

Liam Goslett: My name is Liam Goslett and I’m a 19-year-old photographer from Toronto. I talk a lot, am very specific, and pride myself on my punctuality. I attend Ryerson University.

Noah Emrich: I’m 18, and currently a freshman at Parsons School of Design. I grew up in rural Massachusetts, and really miss it there. I never have time for breakfast.

GQ: How did you each decide to get into the Tumblr game? Why is that visual documentation so appealing to your peers?

Goslett: I was working at a bank setting up an online library, and I kept having long lags with nothing to do. A good friend of mine told me about Tumblr, so I grabbed an account and started posting what I liked. I’m always surprised to have the following that I do now, because it’s really such a bad story.

Emrich: When I first started doing Tumblr in 2008, it wasn’t so concretely an image heavy platform. To me, Tumblr seemed like the most versatile platform, the design and usability were simple and easy. The other factor was Tumblr’s sense of community: I think that the way it was set up lends itself to easy interaction with other people doing similar things. Now, not only are you reading and seeing content, you interact with, and react to that content and it’s creator.

GQ: You’ve both scored some pretty cool gigs, projects etc. as a result of having your online presence...

Goslett: Right now, I try to be on the streets a couple hours a day (shooting street style), and the rest I spend in class, or at home editing photos, etc. I’m hungry these days! I just want to be involved with as many projects as I can, and do my best to ’Midas Touch’ anything I work on, without failing school. Stay hungry, stay working.

Emrich: I’m currently working on a project with Gant Rugger to launch their upcoming holiday collection. I’m really excited about that. I’m also working on developing a few products, in collaboration with brands, that will be exclusively available on my site.

GQ: You’re both young men, and regularly putting yourself out there, endorsing products, and such. Why should someone take advice from you?

Emrich: Usually the only time I’m giving direct advice concerning style or clothing is when I’m asked by a follower of my blog; I see no point in unsolicited advice. However, why should my advice be discounted solely because of my age? Due to the tremendous amount of time I spend online, as well as conversing with people of similar interests, I might know a thing or two that someone older than me doesn’t.

Goslett: I think I have a taste that’s a lot different from some of my fellow bloggers, and friends, so what I put my stamp on isn’t always the same. Style is completely personal, and I care less about what’s ’internet approved’ and way more about what works for me... that’s where your credibly hinges.

As far as the recommendations, I’m continually flattered that people come to me for advice. What I love about the internet is the amount of information that is readily accessible has made it possible for a kid like me to become exceedingly in touch with something. You don’t need to work directly in the industry, and you don’t need to wait for a magazine to come out every month to know which khakis suck and which are awesome. I suppose it also helps when you have a circle of friends that are talking about it, nonstop.

GQ: For being such nice guys, you get your fair share of hate. What’s up with the web animosity?

Goslett: I think Noah gets a lot of it, and I honestly don’t understand why because he’s very mild mannered on the web. I tend to be sarcastic, and so I think I evoke people a bit more. Some people just really enjoy being negative, and as your following grows, so grows that element. Honestly, we might even deserve it every so often...

Emrich: I’ve had more than my fair share of hate, so much so that I’m rarely phased by it anymore. Everything we put online is a reflection of ourselves, so why even put that out there? Those anonymous commenters hiding out there behind their computers haven’t had the opportunities we have, and as long as that dynamic exists, there’s going to be some nastiness. If you’re doing what you like to do, and putting the effort in, no one should be able to take that away from you.

GQ: What excites you right now in the industry?

Emrich: That my friends, and peers in the industry are doing bigger, and better things every day.

Goslett: In September, I had the opportunity to meet a few of my favorite new designers, and photographers. Maybe I was starry-eyed, but I was astonished at how genuinely welcoming, and humble they all were: its like finding out that your favorite ball player goes to the same barber as you. These days I’m excited to watch the new guys kill it, knowing that the people behind the work are all really admirable.

GQ: Should all bloggers be able to take quality photos?

Emrich: If you’re not creating your own visual content, you have to be a hell of a good writer to balance it out.

Goslett: I know a ton of guys who run blogs far superior to mine and don’t know the first thing about composing a photo. A lot of people ask me if there’s a secret to running a successful blog, and I think the answer is to be passionate, and truly gifted at something. Whether it’s taking photos, or it’s writing, or even just having a great personality, and knowing where to find interesting content.

GQ: Anything else?

Emrich: I think if you try to stay humble, genuine, and true to yourself, it will pay off.

Goslett: I’m a huge cinema geek. An ideal date would include watching classic movies, and then talking about the tailoring in them. Surprisingly, I’m still single.

Noah Emrich blogs about men’s style at NOVH, among other outlets. The photography of Liam Goslett can be found at liamsawthis.com

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